Very nice decorative wooden toy cubes set model 856, designed by Ko Verzuu for Ado Holland in the 1937. Ado means Arbeid door onvolwaardigen, translated; labor by incapacitated, which makes this an even more special piece. Toys by Ado are being highly collected at the moment, even more than ever cause this is very decorative combined with 1950s furniture from all countries!
Jacobus Johannes Josephus (Ko) Verzuu, a former construction supervisor from Utrecht, led the ADO workshops. He had delved into architecture and art and developed a strong preference for the abstract lines and bright colours, which can also be found in the followers of De Stijl group from the 1920s, followed by Piet Mondriaan, Theo van Doesburg, Vilmos Huszár, Bart van de Leck, J.J.P Oud, Gerrit Rietveld and more. This group of architects and artists was active between 1917 and the early 1930s. They made abstract art, architecture and furniture in the primary colours red, blue and yellow. The dollhouse furniture by Verzuu is strongly inspired by the clean lines and the colours used by the architect Gerrit Rietveld.
Very nice colourful and first edition cubes, all handmade and hand painted. This is a very nice quality set of cubes from the first production in 1937 and these are very hard to find. The set is in good but played condition with a nice patina. I think the patina makes this a very nice piece with aging to it. Would look highly decorative as this can be used in numerous positions everywhere! Marked with the ado plate on the big orange cube. A very good and nice looking future investment.
Designer: | Jacobus (Ko) Verzuu | |
Manufacturer: | Ko Verzuu | |
Type: | Ado | |
Condition: | Model 856 | Height: | 15 cm |
Width: | 15 cm | |
Depth: | 15 cm |